DARKMATTERS - The Mind Of Matt

Darkmatters Review: Terraria

2013-05-19T22:43:00.001+01:00

Terraria (PS3)

Developed By: 505 Games

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

"Can you dig it?"

Something evil lurks underground… Only you can dig to victory!!

It’s time to grab some tools and go to work!

Terraria was a superb PC sandbox game of epic proportions – like a funky 2D version of Minecraft where you can make weapons, craft useful items and fight off a variety of enemies as you dig deep underground to find accessories, money, and other useful things, gather wood, stone, ores, and other resources to create everything you need to make the world your own and defend it.

Now the mining / building / crafting fun comes to the PlayStation 3 (and the VITA later this year) and the good news is that it has been upgraded and works even better than it did before!

There is real joy in building yourself a house, upgrading it with some defences so it can be a castle – make it large enough and NPC people will move in to live there and perhaps even sell you different wares to assist you on your journey.

"Yes you can create a great home..."

The real challenges awaiting you are endless... How much time do you have and are you up to the task?

If you’ve played Minecraft you’ll have some idea about what to do except this is all in 2D, reminiscent of Classic Spectrum games like Manic Miner or Jet Set Willy. Terraria is much more of an RPG than Minecraft as you dig to find better items to make better weapons and take on better enemies allowing you to go further get better weapons etc.

One point of note – if you jump straight in to Terraria without consulting the various online guides and wiki you might not do so great… It really is worth reading some stuff before playing the game as there are many things to take in and the more you know the more fun you’ll have!

The worlds are randomly generated and in Terraria the weapons are also placed randomly so exploring is a must. Forging your own armour from items dropped by enemies is satisfying and finding the right ore to craft something very tasty is what will keep you digging late into the night.

Terraria is different at heart to Minecraft so don’t write it off as a ‘me too’ effort. This is an addictive, wonderful game that will give back many hundreds of hours of fun.

"How geeky are you? There are limitless possibilities"

The console version works a treat on the controller - I was a bit worried that it wouldn't be as easy to fight and mine without the mouse to click but if anything the PS3 DualShock (more accurate than the Xbox360 controller) actually becomes second nature very quickly and I find it easier to use...

Other enhancements include enemies now packing life bars over them and a host of small innovative improvements to the inventory system etc.

There is also the genius of online play - teaming up with some mates is a brilliant way to spend an evening.

Terraria is a highly recommended addition to any gamers inventory.

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö - Dig for glory my friends

5 – as the incredible PWEI once said… ‘Can you dig it? HELL YEAH!’

"Deathnote fans are known to play Terraria!?"

Darkmatters Review: The Great Gatsby

2013-05-19T21:55:00.001+01:00

The Great Gatsby (12a)

Dir. Baz Luhrmann

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“Tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther... And so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past….”

Buckle up for a lavish and stylish new big screen adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's much-loved novel from Baz ‘Moulin Rouge’ Luhrmann. Meet wide-eyed Midwesterner Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), who finds himself lured into the decadently over the top world of his glamorous and mysterious neighbour, Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio).

The tale is told from Carraway’s recollections about his time spent in the heady summer of 1922, when he catches up with his beautiful cousin, Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan), and her husband, Tom (Joel Edgerton). Daisy turns out to have had a romantic attachment to enigmatic Gatsby and Carraway finds himself being befriended by the smooth, confident millionaire who wants to win Daisy’s heart back.

"smug much?"

But this isn’t your standard love story drama – there is an inherent danger lurking under the surface here and there will certainly be tragedy as well as romance before the credits role.

Everything looks incredible – the screen sizzles with a sheen of pizazz the like of which has not been seen before. The cars are shiny powerhouses, the men dandy super manicured icons and the woman are gorgeous foxes across the board. Luhrmann updates the original jazz soundtrack with hip-hop thanks to producer Shawn 'Jay Z' Carter and the more contemporary vibe works well.

The supporting roles of Jordan Baker (Elizabeth Debicki), George Wilson (Jason Clarke) and his saucy wife, Myrtle (Isla Fisher) all do their parts well and drive the plot along.

"In order of coolness..."

So is this Gatsby a roaring success?

Well yes and no – on the plus side it’s a visually lush cinematic experience and the performance of DiCaprio stands out as one of his best ever. Mulligan is gorgeous and brings plenty of va va voom to the role of Daisy – she has some of the best eyes to get lost in ever!? And as I said, the music and overall style is superb.

Less good is the unnecessary 3D, which adds nothing but extra price to the cinema ticket. Tobey Maguire is an absolute waste of space too - with his stock range of 3 faces including his very annoying bug eyed / amazed look... There is also an overall feeling of shallowness that prevents you ever getting quite as emotionally involved in the drama as might have made this a classic.

So maybe not The ‘Great’ Gatsby in the end but perhaps The ‘Cool’ Gatsby? Still worth checking!

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööö1/2 - Reserving judgments is a matter of infinite hope

3.5 – Fantastic in parts, slightly unsatisfying as a whole

Awesomeness öööö – amazing partying

Laughs öö – amusing as opposed to hilarious

Horror ö – mildly grim, not much to worry you except a couple of violent scenes

Babes öööö – Mulligan is an all time beauty

Spiritual Enlightenment ööö - the wages of sin...

"Mulligan in my fav film Drive"

Darkmatters Review: Soul Sacrifice

2013-05-18T22:12:00.000+01:00

Soul Sacrifice (PS Vita)

Developed by: Marvelous AQL / Sony Entertainment

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

Will you save or sacrifice your mortally wounded enemies?

That’s the crux of this superb Monster-Hunter-em-up for the PSVITA…

As a kick-ass sorcerer who can wield a crazy array of battle magic, it still comes down to ‘what sort of person do you want to be’ in the end.

You see having smashed an enemy to the point of submission you then have the power to sacrifice them and drain their magical energy for yourself (this leads to the dark path) or save them and boost your life force – and thus be a ‘good guy’.

It is rare to see a compelling new Triple A title burst onto the gaming scene – especially on the VITA which has been collecting a lot of indie games and PS3 / 3DS ports but only a handful of really ‘must have’ exclusives to date. But Sony are masters of creating new I.P.s and Soul Sacrifice is a ready made battle adventure that will eat up your life with its addictive monster slaying (both as a single player campaign or with pals in multiplayer).

The plot sees you start the game in a grim prison made of wood and bone – with only a strange talking sentient book for company – it’s name is ‘Librom’ and he is the place where you’ll find missions to play through and the backstories about the fantastical beasties hidden in it’s pages. The gameplay is very ‘jump straight in and figure it out on the fly’ with six magical powers to use from the start – you can see three at a time and jump between the two banks of them with the right trigger. The combat system is a lot of fun to use – experimenting with eh various ranged and close attacks, weapons, shields, abilities to morph into other forms and more…

"big battles are standard"

The leveling up system is linked to the whole save / sacrifice mechanic. It’s not just enemies that you sacrifice either – when playing with an ally you can sacrifice them or save them too – either to give them life-points back or unleash a devastating attack on all enemies. If you or an ally is sacrificed you can still ‘watch’ the rest of the fight in spirit mode boosting allies or weaken enemies but not actually attacking. The magical powers each have a limited number of uses before they break and can’t be recharged but they can be repaired using Librom's own ‘tears’, which you can evoke by talking to the book and wiping his face (sounds a bit odd but it kind of works).

There is lots to do – hundreds of powers to obtain and enhance by combining them / mixing elements to create a new customized weapons. In addition you get the chance to customize your arm – opening up slots to add new skills and this is made even more complex by super powered sacrificial powers that you can equip and use when near death – but they require you to ‘give’ something in order to use them – so rip off your skin to summon a fire giant or pluck out an eyeball to send a cloud of bomb like eyes at the enemies… But beware as you’ll have to fight without your limbs given up from then on (although Librom can help you rebuild yourself after battles).

Sacrificing part of your own body is known as using a ‘forbidden spell’ but it can be very addictive trying out differing attacks and reaping the rewards of risking yourself. The menagerie of enemies is a real strong point of Soul Sacrifice which has a fantastic design look, feel and unique takes on traditional creatures – such as goblins which are super sized mutated rats etc.

"leather look"

The graphics are far far in advance of anything you’ll see on a 3DS, and the special effects of your magical weapons are slick. Everything works really well, the menus, animated pages of the book, soundtrack and weapon creating are all very slick. Creating and customizing your sorcerer is a satisfying gaming experience – then of course you can take your character online where the multiplayer fights are really fun too – and playing with friends is a rush over the rock solid connection that the free PlayStation Network allows.

Soul Sacrifice is a quality game which can provide a ton of addictive battling, it can be rewarding to leap in for a 5 minute blast but beware, you may well find it will keep you coming back for ‘one more battle’ until you have lost hours. Add to this ongoing support of downloadable content with new missions and equipment and this is a game that no Vita owner should be without!

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö - worth an arm and a leg!

4 – Super magical battle hunting fun

"Cos play inspired - convert your Mortal Kombat outfits today!"

Darkmatters Review: Star Trek Into Darkness

2013-05-12T22:11:00.001+01:00

Star Trek Into Darkness (12)

Dir. J. J. Abrams

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“You think your world is safe? It is an illusion. A comforting lie told to protect you. Enjoy these final moments of peace. For I have returned, to have my vengeance!”

It’s a good feeling when you see a sequel that delivers on the promise of the first film – especially when it’s a rebooted series… But Star Trek Into Darkness under the expert direction of J. J. ‘next up will be Star Wars Episode VII’ Abrams is a joy to behold for Trekkies and fans of quality cinema thrills alike.

Into Darkness picks up straight from the end of the 2009 Star Trek that successfully reengineered whole cinematic presence of the starship USS Enterprise and her crew led by Captain James T. Kirk (Chris ‘soon to be the new Jack Ryan’ Pine).

Darkness however lives up to its name in that it brings a new level of threat in the swathe and menacing form of Khan (Benedict ‘Sherlock from TV’ Cumberbatch) – an enigmatic agent of mass destruction with a hidden agenda.

"bad, ass"

The plot involves the good guys Kirk, Spock (Zachary Quint), Bones (Karl Urban), Scotty (Simon Pegg) and Uhura (Zoe Saldana) desperately trying to halt Khan’s seemingly unstoppable campaign of terror from which is targeting Starfleet. The rapport of the Enterprise crew is a winning one which helps gloss over the occasion plot hole – along with copious amounts of lens flair.

Captain Kirk is picked to lead a dangerous manhunt into a war-zone to try and capture Khan – easier said than done considering he’s one-man weapon of mass destruction. It makes for an exciting rollercoaster ride that sees the Enterprise out maneuvered and out gunned. Is this the premature end to their potential new long running franchise? If you’ve seen the trailer you’ll know to expect serious potential losses…

"bad times"

Into Darkness brings lots of fan references including stuff only Trekkies will really ‘get’ like a Tribble being experimented on but also some upgraded visual effects and iconic new technology. Alive Eve is also on hand to catch the eye (and Kirk’s attention) as the new crewmember Dr. Carol Marcus.

This is a great movie that continues the series in fine style, it also bodes well for the planned Star Wars VII as Abrams is clearly at home with sci-fi adventure.

I highly recommend that you boldly go and see Star Trek: Into Darkness…

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö - Delivers the sci-fi Trek you want!

4 – if earth burns, it won't be without a fight!

Awesomeness öööö – tasty action scenese

Laughs öö – plenty of laughs

Horror öö – not very nast, but tense!

Babes öööö – Eve is hot, Saldana too

Spiritual Enlightenment ööö - boldly go!!

"Oh Captain..."

The World's End TRAILER / Anticipation

2013-05-10T10:14:00.002+01:00

The World's End... is coming

Matt Adcock is excited!!

In The World's End, 20 years after attempting an epic pub crawl, five childhood friends reunite when one of them becomes hellbent on trying the drinking marathon again. They are convinced to stage an encore by mate Gary King (Simon Pegg), a 40-year-old man trapped at the cigarette end of his teens, who drags his reluctant pals to their hometown and once again attempts to reach the fabled pub - The World's End. As they attempt to reconcile the past and present, they realise the real struggle is for the future, not just theirs but humankind's. Reaching The World's End is the least of their worries.

Now witness the trailer...

Darkmatters Review: Dead Man Down

2013-05-09T16:08:00.001+01:00

Dead Man Down (15)

Dir. Niels Arden Oplev

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

- you can read a version of this review over at THE LUTON NEWS

“They killed my wife. They killed my daughter. They should have made sure they killed me too.”

If you’re in the mood for a dark crime revenge thriller from the maker of the original The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, then Dead Man Down is an interesting oddity that delivers enough to make it worth a look.

"Farrell and the she dragon"

Meet Victor (Colin ‘Seven Psychopaths’ Farrell), a small-time gang member who has a dark reason for signing up with the crime empire run by scary kingpin Alphonse (Terrence ‘Red Tails’ Howard).

Victor, you see, is a man on a revenge mission and he means to have payback for the killing of his wife and child by taking down those responsible from the inside of their shady operation.

His plan is somewhat complicated when he crosses paths with Beatrice (Noomi ‘Prometheus’ Rapace), a strange young woman with terrible facial scarring who lives across from him. It seems that she seen something that Victor would rather she had not, and now he must do something for her which also involves revenge.

"Blood demands blood..."

Dead Man Down looks superb. The cinematography is far better than you’d expect for a film part- funded by WWE Studios, who normally make terrible movies involving at least one of their former grunt and gurn wrestling stars.

I’m guessing that the main reason the film works so well is that director Opley brings his bleak-infused Nordic edge to the party. It might not have the same cult following as The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo but it does have a similar aura.

The central relationship between Victor and Beatrice keeps you hooked through the fairly standard crime drama plot. Farrell and Rapace generate some good chemistry and the supporting cast work well, especially Dominic Cooper as Darcy, Victor’s only real friend in the gang, who might just be the biggest threat to his plan.

If there’s anything that doesn’t quite work it’s the semi-comedy role of French actress Isabelle Huppert as Beatrice’s mother Valentin, all nudge nudge, wink wink encouragement for the two leads to get together.

"oh wait, that was the other film..."

The trailer for Dead Man Down shows off pretty much all the action scenes.

They are good but you shouldn’t go in expecting a gung-ho Die Hard shoot-em-up.

Rather this will leave you thinking dark thoughts about how far people will go to avenge wrongs and, despite the large body-count, there is a deeper level of emotion being effectively tapped here.

"Blatant 'Driver' rip off foreign poster"

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööö - dark and dangerous thirlls

3 – the girl with the dragon on her face?

Awesomeness ööö – some good action and lots of contemplation

Laughs öö – lacking laughs even when trying to be funny

Horror öööö – some bits are overly nasty

Babes ööö – Rapace is hot under her disfigured make up

Spiritual Enlightenment ööö - revenge won't heal you

"Rapace, needs new jeans"

Darkmatters Top 5 Casino Scenes in Movies

2013-04-30T13:44:00.001+01:00

Darkmatters Top 5 Casino Scenes in Movies

Casinos have featured in very many movies throughout cinematic history.

Here is our pick of five of the best.

21

The movie 21 comes first in our list not so much because it is a great movie, in fact it is not one, but because it is very informative and if you enjoy gambling then you will surely find it compelling. It is crammed with intriguing casino scenes that show a group of card counters beat the casinos at blackjack, something that we all enjoy.

Casino

The Martin Scorsese directed movie Casino starring Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci is also very interesting in that it is based on real life events from the days when the mob controlled the Las Vegas casinos, but in contrast to 21 it is also a great movie, and probably the greatest movie of its genre ever made. Pick any casino scene – they are all done to perfection.

Casino Royale

Casino Royale is typical James Bond and reasonably entertaining. Daniel Craig makes a reasonable Bond, but he needs to improve his poker. Anybody can win with the best possible hand, and that is what he did in the climactic scene when he was heads up with the film’s bête noir. Casino scenes in Bond do have a special charm and have certainly left their mark on the gambling world – even online casinos like http://www.ipadcasino.co.nz are trying to get in on a bit of Bond’s success by introducing slots games based around his legacy, namely ‘Agent Jane Blonde’.

Rain Man

Raymond Babbitt (Rain Man) is an autistic savant and the perfect character for Dustin Hoffman’s special form of method acting. Tom Cruise as his brother Charlie is also well cast as the somewhat exploitive manipulator. Charlie discovers Raymond’s remarkable card counting skills and whisks him off to Las Vegas and some hands of highly successful and lucrative blackjack.

Indecent Proposal

Admittedly not the greatest movie, but the casino scene in which Demi Moore kisses the dice before throwing them is worth watching. The movie was a huge box office success grossing over $265 million, which is more than many people win in casinos!?

Let us know your top Casino movie scenes - oh and while you're thinking - because it's a super-hero blowout this year...

How about Taylor Swift as Supergirl?

Darkmatters Review: Iron Man 3

2013-04-28T22:50:00.001+01:00

Iron Man 3 (12a)

Dir. Shane Black

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“Hi, I'm Tony Stark. I build neat stuff, got a great girl, occasionally save the world. So why can't I sleep?”

Yes the wisecracking, heavy metal suited superhero Iron Man is back – fresh from helping his fellow ‘Avengers’ thwart an all out alien invasion. Life should be good for brilliant industrialist Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) but he’s wracked with anxiety attacks as a result of his near death world saving exploits…

To make matters worse, a massive new threat has emerged in the form of an uber terrorist called The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) who apparently has no limit in his bloodthirsty campaign to ‘teach America a lesson…’

Iron Man 3 has a lot to live up to after the billion dollar success of The Avengers, this is the first of Marvel Studio’s Phase Two of hero films that will lead up to the second super team collaboration (the others will be Captain America: Winter Soldier and Thor: The Dark World).

So can the slick armoured Iron Man still deliver on his own terms?

In a word ‘yes’!!

"down but not out?"

New director to the series Shane ‘Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang’ Black takes over with much gusto and delivers a film that succeeds as an amazingly entertaining spectacle – with all the explosions, death defying acrobatics and jaw dropping action you could wish for. Black is a dab hand at comedy too and Downey has the lead role nailed in getting the right mix of funnies / trauma / heroics…

Everything works really well, as well as the truly menacing villains – The Mandarin is backed up by mad scientist Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce), there are some nice new allies too, none better than a young kid named Harley (Ty Simpkins), who gets his geeky dreams fulfilled by being able to help Iron Man in his hour of need.

"you will know fear..."

The cast includes returning roles for Stark’s love interest Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and James Rhodes / War Machine (Don Cheadle) but it is Kingsley however who steals the show – obviously relishing his role almost as much as Downey does his.

Iron Man 3 brings the trilogy to a satisfying conclusion – it’s best not to know too much about the plot as there are some great swerves that will keep you glued to the screen for the 2 hr+ running time.

"pick a suit!?"

The blockbuster season for 2013 has just blasted off in fine style!

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö1/2 - Iron Man delivers the goods big time!

4.5 – Quality thrills, spills and grins all round!!

Awesomeness öööö – action overload balanced with heart

Laughs ööö – some laugh out loud funnies

Horror öö – a little grim in places

Babes ööö – Potts looks good

Spiritual Enlightenment ööö - I am Iron Man...

"Pepper Pots getting hot..."

Darkmatters Review: Olympus Has Fallen

2013-04-22T00:51:00.002+01:00

Olympus Has Fallen (15)

Dir. Antoine Fuqua

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

"As a nation, we are never stronger than when tested!”

When America faces the ultimate horrific scenario of the White House being overrun by terrorists who manage to take the President (Aaron Eckhart) hostage – there’s only one man who they can call upon to fight back. Unfortunately Detective John McClane is busy so it falls to former secret service agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) to try and save the day against impossible odds.

"Boom goes the White House"

Yes Olympus Has Fallen really does feel like Die Hard: In The White House but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Directed by Antoine ‘Training Day’ Fuqua this is 2013’s first stupidly gung-ho all action blast-em-up which goes so far over the top that it virtually becomes an international incident in its own right.

Special operative Banning wouldn’t have been the President’s first choice as he was on duty when his wife - First Lady Margaret Asher (Ashley Judd) – died in a horrific accident. But when he spots from his office across the way that the very White House is being stormed by heavily armed North Korean dissidents, he doesn’t hesitate to run straight in there all guns blazing.

"Synchronised death"

Hats off to the script writers as they seem to relish the chance to wrack up an eye-watering body count that sees just about every single agent tasked with the defence of the White House end up dead. There is a tangible blood-lust, coupled with a great sense of threat, but it’ balanced with a grim sense of humour and a good central effort from Butler who brings some of his Spartan hardness from 300 to the weaponised mayhem here.

In the screening I saw of this, one viewer was actively shouting at the screen throughout – he seemed to think that the characters might be real and somehow respond to his prompts. The reaction of the other viewers was slightly less vocal but Olympus Has Fallen certainly elicited a lot of gasps of things like “Ooh, that’s got to hurt!”

Yes it’s almost entirely preposterous from the second a heavily armed attack plane manages to fly directly to the White House and destroy pretty much every defence that the Americans have to offer. It’s time to buckle up and enjoy the adrenalin fuelled ride.

If you’re a fan of John Woo’s early shoot-em-ups or the Die Hard movies, and are happy to suspend your disbelief in a serious way – you should definitely check Olympus Has Fallen.

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööö1/2 - Action thrills that deliver

3.5 – Everything works well, an almost classic

Awesomeness öööö – action is nicely done

Laughs ööö – some good funnies

Horror ööö – bit grim in places

Babes öö – not a babe-em-up

Spiritual Enlightenment ööö - the American way

"Radha Mitchell - delivers good legs"

Darkmatters Review: Oblivion

2013-04-14T22:29:00.003+01:00

Oblivion (12a)

Dir. Joseph Kosinski

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (this review also available in the Biggleswade Chronicle)

“Is it possible to miss a place you've never been? To mourn a time you never lived?”

My name is Jack Harper, known as Tech 49, I’m one of the last humans on earth - 60 years ago, we were attacked and although we won the war, it destroyed half the planet in the process. Everything feels odd here in the ruins of our civilisation, everyone's been evacuated to Titan, a habitable moon of Saturn, now nothing human remains. I’m here with my communications partner Victoria (Andrea ‘Welcome to the Punch’ Riseborough), we are tasked with keeping the weaponised drones repaired so that they can protect the massive water harvesting energy converters which are draining the last of earth’s resources.

We have to be ever vigilant because there are remnants of scavenger creatures in the wastes that continue to attack our facilities….

"home in the clouds"

Oblivion is an ambitious and intelligent large-scale sci-fi flick that packs seriously visually spectacular effects. Cruise does his patented smooth hero stuff in the lead role, although he is often upstaged by the incredible CGI effects that depict a believably devastated wasteland and the high tech drones etc. If you’ve played PS3 games like ‘Fallout’ you’ll relish the post-apocalyptic world brought to the screen here. The drones too are iconic creations – each has a formidable four gun set up and one red eye which is very ‘Hal-9000’.

Co-written, produced and directed by Joseph “Tron Legacy’ Kosinski, this is based on his unpublished graphic novel and that is perhaps the main weakness of the film in that it is light on actual plot for a 2 hour plus experience (although not short on plot holes).

"hey bud, I'm on your side"

The supporting cast all work well and include Morgan Freeman, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau from Game of Thrones and ex-Bond girl Olga Kurylenko. But this is Cruise’s movie and he adds another grand cinematic role to his impressive roster.

I saw Oblivion with my esteemed fellow critic Tom Wade who wasn’t as enamored with it – but then I get the impression that he has some issues with Cruise he said: “There’s only so far up yourself you can go… until you get to Tom Cruise!”

For me though, l Oblivion delivers an above average slice of thought provoking sci-fi nonsense, it sets the bar for the raft of sci-fi films this year which include Elysium, Star Trek: Into Darkness and After Earth and is definitely worth a watch.
Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö - Earth is a memory worth fighting for (on the big screen)

4 – Sci-fi that delivers

Awesomeness öööö – iconic drones, great wasteland

Laughs ö – limited mirth

Horror öö – not too dark

Babes ööö – Cruise gets 2 for price of one

Spiritual Enlightenment ööö - the truth will set you free

Andrea Riseborough

Darkmatters Review: Spring Breakers

2013-04-07T23:58:00.004+01:00

Spring Breakers (18)

Dir. Harmony Korine

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“…God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

As a Christian, I have to admit to being surprised but not altogether freaked out when Spring Breakers opened with a passage from the bible - 1 Corinthians 10 v13 – as above. But this is a good indication that there may be more going on in this movie rather than the surface level reaction of it being an exploitative ‘babes n gangstas go wild’ adventure.

This is the tale of young Brit (Ashley Benson), Candy (Vanessa Hudgens), Cotty (Rachel Korine), and Faith (Selena Gomez) – four best friends with differing worldviews but one thing in common - they all live together in a college dorm and are too poor to go and party on Spring Break.

"Don't try this at home..."

Faith is the ‘good girl’ of the bunch, a Christian who is encouraged to pray for her wilder friends and it seems with good reason because the other 3 girls decide to raise the funds for their trip by robbing a diner – using fake guns.

Initially the crime seem to pay off as the four pals get to experience the crazed hedonistic pleasures of Spring Break, where the young congregate to drink and party hard. Things go a bit wrong when they are all arrested at a drug fuelled party but at their sentencing rapper "Alien" (James ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’ Franco) pays their bail and promises them the thrill and excitement of his underworld dealings.

"prize for least clothes worn in a film in 2013 goes to..."

But Alien has a nemesis in the form of gangster Archie (Gucci Mane) who was once his best friend but who now sees Alien as a threat to his crime empire. And when one of the girls gets shot in the arm, all bets are off as to how far they will go to experience a spring break they will never forget…

Director Harmony Korine is a controversial figure – he wrote the film Kids back in ’95 which caused a lot of outrage. In Spring Breakers he delivers a crazed, hyper-stylized glimpse into the depths of the human soul and the vacuous, dangerously subversive nature of living the so-called ‘American Dream’.

Despite it’s biblical start, this film is packed with swearing, nudity and a very violent climax, Spring Breakers is definitely not for the faint of heart or easily offended but it still manages to be a compelling, iconic modern day cinematic fable that deserves attention.

"murderous distraction"

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö - Wish you weren't here?

4 – Strong, OTT stuff

Awesomeness öööö – sunshine, style, sexiness and cold blood

Laughs öö – not much but a few funny bits

Horror ööö – quite grim

Babes ööööö – an over abundance

Spiritual Enlightenment öö - look beneath the surface

Darkmatters Review: Defiance

2013-04-03T18:41:00.000+01:00

Defiance (PS3)

Developed by Trion Worlds

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

"Is that a Firefly in you pocket? Or are you just pleased to see a new Sci-fi / Western hybrid hit the gaming and TV viewing worlds?"

Defiance is something potentially very very cool. It's a game (PS3, PC, 360) but it's also a TV show... And the two are linked!?

I've not seen the TV show (it hits UK on the 16th April) but the good people over at io9 have seen first three episodes of Syfy's biggest gamble to date, the half-futuristic neo-Western, half-MMO game Defiance. Was it worth the risk? Can Syfy resurrect the sci-Western without stepping in a big pile of "Firefly did it better?" Read their first impressions here: IO9 Defiance Show Review

Shooting stuff in videogames is fun - call it any way you'd like - and Defiance brings a myriad bounty of weapons, armor, and special abilities that in true MMO style evolve with experience...

"ugly - but about to die!"

Yes that means you can make a custom character - to play as either human or alien (there are 4 choices to begin with), modifying your look to become a unique citizen of the Defiance world.

Fight to survive in a consistently evolving environment with promised regular content updates and dynamic events. Play on your own, or join tens of thousands of simultaneous live players in a futuristic San Francisco Bay Area that’s a fully-realized open world...

Trion Worlds' Defiance the game is set in a scorched future post apocalyptic Earth. You are a Vault Hunter, oops sorry I mean Ark Hunter who somehow makes it through the intro starship crash in a pod.

"Brrrrmmm!! quad biking is the future"

Anyway, Ark Hunters have been brought along with the military to try and find and salvage 'Arktech' - the advanced tech and use it to try and rebuild Earth. So far, so Borderlands or Rage or many other games but Defiance is fresh because it brings the MMO with guns to consoles and it looks and plays superbly on the PS3!

So step this way for some serious Player versus Environment (PvE) fun. Defiance offers a large amount of content straigh off the disc missions to do with tracking down other survivors from the crash, helping the military who are immediately under attack (due to them being seen as invaders) -basically a tasty sized open world to explore, grind out some leveling, notch up some side missions, challenges (with leaderboards) and generally the opportunity to shoot a hell of a lot of stuff... Defiance is great with a co-op buddy too, especially as there are some maps and missions created just for co-op.

Having said that, you can happily play Defiance solo and never engage with those around you - although having allies doing the same mission as you can be a great help when there are a mean bunch of supermutant enemies on the prowl.

"multiplayer gets frantic but is rock solid on PlayStation Network"

The RPG element of game is all about ticking off goals in order to get xp and credits so you can get better weapons and EGO powers / perks (this game's magic-esq enhancements). You can choose one major EGO power to begin with such as cloaking / overdrive fire power / rush speed burst etc - which allows you to pick a style of play. Sure you can respec afterwards for a cost, but this variety could well lead to wanting to play through with different spec characters.

It's yet to be seens how the link between game and TV show will work but I have tried the Player versus Player (PvP) option called 'Shadow War' where players fight to claim control of territory, and this is satisfyingly large scale because as more people join the battle, the larger the area of combat becomes. A lovely touch is being able to use vehicles too - which are up there with games like Starhawk or Battlefield in terms of altering the balance of power if you become adept at drving them.

So after only a few days of play, I can say that Defiance is potentially the best MMO I've experienced - hats off to the team behind this... I'll see you online I'm Cleric20.

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö - Defies expectations to be a best game of 2013 contender!!

5 – MMO shooters have never been this slick or satisfying!

"The driving in Defiance is a bit MotorStorm - hence the pic"

Darkmatters Review: TRANCE

2013-04-02T23:46:00.003+01:00

TRANCE (15)

Dir. Danny Boyle

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

You are feeling warm, secure and totally at ease...

Everything is going your way, this is a good day, a day when you might want to experience a quality thought provoking thriller...

When you finish reading this review, you will think about going to see TRANCE, and chances are that if you do go and see it, you will enjoy it very much!

So far, so good - but how far do you trust your current perception of 'reality'?

Do you know for sure that you're doing things of your own free will?

What made you decide to read this review?

Are you sure you haven't been hypnotised and that you are acting out the 'suggestions' planted in your mind?

"look into my eyes..."

Welcome to the world of TRANCE. Danny 'Trainspotting' Boyle's new mind bending heist-em-up which tells that tale of young Simon (James 'Welcome To The Punch' McAvoy), a fine art auctioneer, teams up with a criminal gang to steal a Goya painting worth upwards of £25million.

Simon is ideally placed for this inside job as he is trained in what to do if any attempt is made to steal a high value object during auction - his is the duty to bag the painting and get it to the quick drop time delay vault.

"be careful who you trust"

But the heist doesn't go exactly to plan and after suffering a blow to the head during the heist Simon awakens to discover he has no memory of where he hid the painting. This isn't great news for the heavy duty crims he is in partnership with and they decide to try and 'help' him remember by pulling out his finger nails..

But neither physical threats and actual torture can get Simon to talk, so the gang’s leader Frank (Vincent Cassel) hires hypnotherapist Elizabeth Lamb (Rosario 'Sin City' Dawson) to delve into the darkest recesses of Simon’s psyche.

As Elizabeth begins to unravel Simon’s broken subconscious, the lines between truth, suggestion, and deceit begin to blur.

"you will post this picture on twitter..."

This is just the tip of an Inception sized iceberg where plotlines melt and timelines jump, before long the rug will have been pulled from beneath you several times but never in an arbitary way,

TRANCE works really well on many levels. It packs action, sex, violence, art, hypnosis, betrayal, love, greed and trust into its twisted hyper-real production.

Boyle directs with flair and the cast deliver, especially McAvoy who is great in the lead role. Prepare for a freaky thrill ride that grips to the bitter end.

This is one to see and discuss with your friends...

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö - get inside the mind of a criminal

4 – Boyle delivers a fine thriller

Awesomeness öööö – nothing is what it seems

Laughs öö – a couple of funny moments

Horror ööö – gets a little nasty in places

Babes ööö – Dawson goes shaved full frontal

Spiritual Enlightenment ö - suggestable?

"pretty as a picture"

Darkmatters Review: St George Blood And Martyrs

2013-04-01T10:10:00.000+01:00

St George Blood And Martyrs

Akin Akinsiku and Joe Sparrow

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

Is there history coded in the famous legend of St George and the Dragon?

Did you know that in around 300AD when the Roman empire was busy persecuting Christians in some areas whilst adopting their faith in others and at some point there was a serious shift in perceptions... As they said in Mad Max - one man can make a difference!?

St George was potentially that man and in this cool street art / Manga style graphic novel the Patron Saint of England is imagined as a Roman career soldier who converted to Christianity and who changed the course of history as a result...

"Akinsiku style"

If you've read The Manga Bible by the awesome SIKU you'll be pleased to know that the art talent runs in the family as St George Blood And Martyrs is by his brother Akinsiku...

The artwork is fresh, stylish and compelling - and the collected tales, myth and legend are mixed well so that you come away actually having a better idea of how the fabled St George got his place in history.

This is an inspiring book, which should be picked up by those who like thier information delivered in graphic novel format.

But what about all that dragon stuff? Well, according to the 'Golden Legend', the narrative episode of Saint George and the Dragon took place in a place he called "Silene", in Libya; the Golden Legend is the first to place this legend in Libya as a sufficiently exotic locale, where a dragon might be found. In the tenth-century Georgian narrative, the place is the fictional city of Lasia, and it is the godless Emperor who is Selinus.

The town had a pond, as large as a lake, where a plague-bearing dragon dwelled that envenomed all the countryside. To appease the dragon, the people of Silene used to feed it two sheep every day, and when the sheep failed, they fed it their children, chosen by lottery. It happened that the lot fell on the king's daughter, who is in some versions of the story called Sadra. The king, distraught with grief, told the people they could have all his gold and silver and half of his kingdom if his daughter were spared; the people refused. The daughter was sent out to the lake, dressed as a bride, to be fed to the dragon.

Saint George by chance rode past the lake. The princess, trembling, sought to send him away, but George vowed to remain. The dragon reared out of the lake while they were conversing. Saint George fortified himself with the Sign of the Cross, charged it on horseback with his lance, and gave it a grievous wound. He then called to the princess to throw him her girdle, and he put it around the dragon's neck. When she did so, the dragon followed the girl like a meek beast on a leash.

The princess and Saint George led the dragon back to the city of Silene, where it terrified the people at its approach. But Saint George called out to them, saying that if they consented to become Christians and be baptised, he would slay the dragon before them. The king and the people of Silene converted to Christianity, George slew the dragon, and the body was carted out of the city on four ox-carts. "Fifteen thousand men baptized, without women and children." On the site where the dragon died, the king built a church to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint George, and from its altar a spring arose whose waters cured all disease...

Yeah - believe what you want of that but it's a great story (whatever the origins)!

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö - The blood of the Saint runs wild here

4 - Recommended!

Darkmatters Review: G.I. Joe Retaliation

2013-03-31T18:34:00.001+01:00

G.I. Joe: Retaliation (12a)

Dir. Jon M Chu

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“Let's move! The world ain't saving itself!”

Q. How do you go about making a sequel to a big budget but entirely shallow action movie based on a range of plastic figures?

A. Break out a serious amount of heavy duty weaponry, throw in extra swords, ninjas, nanotech machines, buxom females and mix it up with Bruce Willis and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson trying to out macho each other!?

Yes, the unstoppable ‘Hasbro’ toy franchise machine (see Transformers, Battleship and G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra for the billions of dollars made from their film tie-ins to date) blast back onto the big screen with G.I. Joe: Retaliation.

"there's fire coming out of my ears!!"

Director Chu and the writers of Zombieland go for broke with bigger scale action carnage, insane CGI assisted firefights and cartoonish characters or ‘Joes’ who are sworn to protect the good ol USA at any cost.

Everything is machine tooled to excite your inner 12 year old – I know this because whilst I found it all averagely fun and totally stupid, my 12-year-old son proclaimed it to be “The best film I’ve ever, ever, seen!”

"best film ever!?"

Pick of the dim-witted but eye-pooping action set pieces is a cool ninja-em-up battle that sees goodie Joes ‘Snake Eyes’ (Ray Park) and ‘Jinx’ (Elodie Yung) out to kidnap the Cobra master swordsman ‘Storm Shadow’ (Byung-hun Lee – who has possibly the most ripped abs ever to grace the screen) high up in the mountains of Japan. It’s breath-taking stuff that as ninjas clash swords mid death defying leap between peaks which brought yelps of delight and disbelief from the audience in the screening I was in.

"a left over transformer gets used in G.I. Joe 2"

The Rock is brought on board to lead the Joes when they are double-crossed and most of them taken out after an impostor takes over the White House. Johnson is good value and sparks well off the rest of the cast. Bruce Willis does his usual grizzled tough guy smirking and gets to crack a few good one-liners.

Adrianne Palicki is on hand as Joe ‘Jaye’ – the eye candy of the crew as although her whole plot is about her wanting to be taken seriously in the military, her main ‘action’ scenes are ones where she must dress skimpily and use her pneumatic figure to distract men!? Not one for the feminists out there.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation is the very definition of a fast food action flick, tasty and enjoyable whilst watching but of no lasting substance or real value.

"pick a Joe"

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööö - do you want fries with that?

3 – better than the first one

Awesomeness ööö – it's like action figures come to life!?

Laughs öö – inadvertantly funny throughout

Horror öö – not too grim at all (considering the bodycount)

Babes ööö – Palicki is a whole lot of woman

Spiritual Enlightenment ö - limted!?

"reporting for duty sir!"

Darkmatters Review: Utopia

2013-03-29T16:38:00.000Z

UTOPIA (18)

Dirs. Marc Munden, Wayne Che Yip & Alex Garcia Lopez

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“There are lots of grades of hurt that we can do to a life and we have the will to inflict them all!”

Fear The Network…

Could a random bunch of graphic novel loving geeks be our last hope in the face of a massive, deadly government conspiracy that will affect every man, woman and child on the planet?

"time to die..."

This is the awesome premise of UTOPIA… A mismatched group of people come into possession of an original manuscript of a cult graphic novel ‘think Alan Moore’s A Disease of Language’ in his most twisted - only a bit darker’. This tome is rumoured to have predicted the worst disasters of the last century and the group soon find themselves targeted by a shadowy and seemingly unstoppable organisation known only as ‘The Network’.

"Where is Jessica Hyde?" - "Where is Jessica Hyde?" This is what stone cold serial killing Arby (Neil ‘Kill List’ Maskell) wants to know – Arby is one of the scariest characters ever brought to the screen. Anyone who crossing his path is pretty much dead be the women, children, old, young – he’s a force of nature with a gun, just without a moral core.

"look at the amazing colour use in scenes..."

It seems that ‘The Network’ is an organization that has existed since the Cold War – they are the ‘world police’ behind the so much more than I’m at liberty to say here… Think food chain tampering, bio-weapons, racial purification, bird flu etc. etc. You might want to look at the ingredient list of erm, well, everything you eat!?

And how does the infamous ‘Mr. Rabbit’ fit into all this?

The cult graphic novel called "The Utopia Experiments" is the heart of UTOPIA, but just what are the secrets it holds?

"be careful where you shop..."

In UTOPIA Dennis Kelly has written something absolutely compulsive, terrifying, addictive, brutal and altogether wonderful…Television is in a golden age, with HBO dropping megatons like Game of Thrones but over here the Brits are doing their bit with the likes of Black Mirror and now UTOPIA.

Credit to the whole cast, the cracking production design and a conspiracy plot that will change the way to watch the news or use the Internet for the rest of your live…

For anyone who’s ever enjoyed conspiracy shows like State of Play but mixed with cult classics such as Twin Peaks and zinged up with a Tarantino esq dialogue. As a Christian, it is fascinating to see ‘what ifs’ about global conspiracy because goodness knows there are enough about the Church!? And there are some great moral questions here about whether it’s right to kill some to save many etc…

"the team"

I can’t recommend You’ll want to watch all 6 episodes in one go (as I did) but most of all, you’ll want to find out just ‘Who is Mr Rabbit?’

"UTOPIA - nothing is safe"

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö - A stone cold classic thriller for our times

5 – it's not paranoia if they're really out to get you!!

"Anna Madeley"

Darkmatters Review: The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

2013-03-29T12:13:00.001Z

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (15)

Dir. Don Scardino

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

"Welcome to the amazing world of magic."

What happens when magicians lose their magic touch?

Is it better to burn out of fade away?

"The new magical super-hero team!"

Meet ‘The Incredible’ Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and his friend since childhood / partner in magic Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi) – they are the most famous magicians in Las Vegas Strip – proffering old school magical illusions but little innovation. Things are going ok (apart from the fact that they are being driven apart by Burt’s ridiculous ego…

Everything changed when a new guerrilla street magician Steve Gray (Jim Carrey) blasts onto the scene with outrageous body mutilation stunts that get him his own TV show and cult following…

Is this the end for Burt and Anton?

"I want you to check my magic balls"

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is a fun film for sure, which will make you laugh out loud as well as tug on your heart-strings because it has a wonderful deeper undertow of emotional variance.

Worth a look for Carell and Carrey fans especially.

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööö1/2 - funny business that works well

3.5 – not a classic but good effort

Awesomeness ööö – Carrey rocks some awesome moments

Laughs öööö – yes a comedy that is actually funny

Horror ööö – don't try this at home

Babes öööö – worth getting wild for Olivia Wilde

Spiritual Enlightenment öö - the power of magic

"Olivia Wilde - brings the looks"

Darkmatters Review: Jack The Giant Slayer

2013-03-25T17:48:00.001Z

Jack The Giant Slayer (12)

Dir. Bryan Singer

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (also reviews for Luton News, Biggleswade Chronicle, Bedfordshire Citizen etc)

"Fee, fi, fo, fum…ask not whence the thunder comes, for between heaven and earth is a perilous place, home to a fearsome giant race, who hunger to conquer the mortals below, waiting for the seeds of revenge to grow...”

Got that? Yes, here comes another fairytale-em-up with a monstrous budget, heavy-duty special effects and a cool cast.

It’s time to face the threat of some seriously nasty giants who want to grind our bones to make their bread, with X-Men and Superman director Bryan Singer calling the shots.

In this retelling of the classic story, Jack (Nicholas ‘Warm Bodies’ Hoult) is a farm boy in the uncomplicated kingdom of Cloister. King Brahmwell (Ian McShane) rules the lands and life is generally good, but everyone lives with the fear that the giants of their legends might not actually be so mythical.

Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson) gets into a spot of bother in a marketplace where Jack happens to be watching a troop of dramatic dwarves led by the excellent Warwick Davis retelling the giants myth in a vaudeville style.

"Royale Princess - wants to be Batman!?"

Jack stands up for the royal hottie and it becomes clear that these two are meant to be together. Alas, he is not of royal blood so can never be her beloved.

This doesn’t stop Jack getting his magic beans moist one rainy night when Isabelle seeks shelter at his farm and before you can say ‘Fee, fi, fo, fum’ a hulking CGI beanstalk has whisked the princess up to the kingdom of a race of giants led by the nasty two-headed Fallon (Bill Nighy).

Cue rescue attempt from a band of knights plus Jack who include the noble Elmont (Ewan McGregor), his man at arms Wicke (Ewan Bremner), and Sir Roderick (Stanley Tucci) who is Isabelle’s shifty betrothed who may have something sinister on his mind.

"Note the 'Gollum' like extra head!?"

The film shifts in to full on adventure mode with a winning mix of humour, derring do and a full scale giant assault which has shades of Lord Of The Rings or Narnia.

I went not expecting much, having been only mildly impressed with the big budget reboots of Snow White or Hansel and Gretel, but came away impressed because Jack The Giant Slayer is a decent family adventure that delivers more fun-per-moment than the recent Oz The Great & Powerful.

So even if you feel let down by other offerings in this genre, this is one fairy tale worth taking a look at on the big screen..

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööö1/2 - not the 'Fee Fi Foe Fumble' it could have been

3.5 – to be enjoyed by your inner 12 year old

Awesomeness ööö – battles especially are great

Laughs ööö – reasonably funny

Horror öö – not too grim

Babes ööö – Eleanor Tomlinson gives good regal

Spiritual Enlightenment öö - believe in myths

"Eleanor Tomlinson - cute smile!"

Darkmatters Review: StarCraft 2 Heart of the Swarm

2013-03-24T17:57:00.001Z

Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm

Developed by Blizzard

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

StarCraft II was a kind of big deal for Real-time Strategy Gamers the world over when StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty hit hit back in 2010. This was a major leap forward compared to the original StarCraft – everything was bigger, slicker and more engrossing. So when it was announced that the StarCraft II universe was going to be a trilogy of new games, gamers got excited to see where the series would go next…

Now Blizzard bring us Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm which builds on the great space warfare epic saga with the battling races including the Protoss - technologically advanced species with mental powers / weapons, the Terran - human exiles from Earth and the Zerg - a super-species of assimilated life forms with a hive-mind. These three distinct and powerful races now clash again in this fast-paced real-time strategy expansion.

Heart of the Swarm has a very different feel from Wings of Liberty – especially the single player campaign that tells the tale of Sarah Kerrigan (from the last game) who has become the ‘Queen of Blades’ who can control the Zerg through her thoughts. Hero of Wings of Liberty Jim Raynor is thrown into her path and sets out to free her from the testing lab where she is being held. But before this unlikely alliance can be agreed Dominion forces attack and they are separated again – the Dominion claiming that Raynor has been captured and executed.

"Get your hive mind on this scale!!"

Cue a frantic battle which sees Kerrigan regaining her Zerg form and using the hive army to bring revenege on the Dominion and all who stand in her way. The single player campaign is formed of nice bite sized missions, which are cleverly used to tell the story in chapters which allow for twists and turns to the plot.

If you’re a fan of StarCraft you’ll find yourself hooked in to the story which has gravitas in its own right but also set ups the final part of the trilogy: StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void which is planned.

Of course the single player campaign is only one element because Blizzard are one of the leading online multiplayer creators *cough* World of WarCraft and Diablo *cough* through Battle.net, which is one of the best online platforms to date. StarCraft II already has a vibrant online gaming scene and Heart of the Swarm brings a host of new features and units to the table. This is now pretty much the ultimate competitive real-time strategy online gaming with tightly balanced new units and gameplay mechanics further distinguish each race.

Yes it all looks great (if not massively better than the last entry) but the new units and cut scenes rock impressive graphics and depending on the horsepower of your PC or Mac there are lots of visual effects and flourishes to enjoy.

"Queen of Blades!?"

Another winning feature is the full map-making and scripting tools to give players incredible freedom in customizing and personalizing their gameplay experience.

There is so much here to make Heart of the Swarm a ‘must buy’ for any RTS game fans – don’t see it as a cash in extension, no, rather embrace your inner Zerg and enjoy a massively polished new chapter of one of the best games out there!

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö – serious RTS space warfare perfection

5 – Heavy duty fun, especially online!

"does my hive look big in this skin-tight outfit?"

"arrghh - she's real!?"

Darkmatters Review: Welcome To The Punch

2013-03-17T23:32:00.002Z

Welcome To The Punch (15)

Dir. Eran Creevy

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“When you take him down… you take him down hard!”

Britain steps up to the world cinematic stage with this gorgeously shot, stunningly crafted crime tale that very firmly puts style over substance, and delivers a Heat-esq almost epic.

From the very first scene of London by night, you’re in for a jaw dropping high definition visual overload, the like of which has simply not been seen on screen – everything sparkles in a cold, crisp brilliance – and when the camera soars through the city streets, watching a heist getaway and ensuing chase sequence – you can feel every cinematic bone fibre of your body reacting to witnessing something a bit special.

"Don't call me Tumnus!"

James ‘The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe’ McAvoy ditches his Narnia and brings his Sweeney as maverick but good cop Max. Max has a score to settle with criminal big-wig Sternwood (Mark Strong) who shot him in the leg during a high-stakes heist. But fate sees Max given the chance to potentially bring Sternwood down after his son is shot and is being treated in a London hospital. Will Sternwood bite on the bait of trying to free his son from a soft target location and might there be a bigger, nastier conspiracy going on behind the scenes?

The story about Max’s obsession with Sternwood is pure British Heat but alas Creevy hasn’t quite got the intricate plot and strong dialogue that Michael Mann had – so whilst Welcome To The Punch rocks visually and packs some great action, it doesn’t resonate at a level to make it a classic. I’m not dissing Brit director Creevy though as he deserves credit for pulling off such an accomplished film on a medium budget through some very high production values and a decent bunch of actors – all of which makes you feel like this could have been something really special if the dialogue and character development was better.

"not happy families"

The emotional pull / love interest is a weak point in Andrea Riseborough as Sarah, Max’s partner who isn’t given enough to do except ask dim questions that help fill in exposition about the gun-running / political plotline. Welcome To The Punch certainly references from the best with films like Infernal Affairs, Heat and last year’s Sweeney remake all prominent. This is a new breed of British crime thriller which moves the genre on from the ‘Guy Ritchie’ / Essex Boys years.

There are some really great scenes on offer though, my picks have to be the opening heist, a great nightclub shootout and an absolutely unforgettable living room nerve shredding stand off that all goes very wrong.

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööö1/2 - Heavy duty style, watchable lite-thrills

3.5 – Welcome To The Punch is definitely worth a look!

Awesomeness ööö – some great moments

Laughs öö – not very funny

Horror öö – not too grim either

Babes öö – not much eye candy

Spiritual Enlightenment öö - punch your inner revenge temptation

"Andrea Riseborough"

God of War: Ascension - REVIEW

2013-03-15T11:44:00.003Z

God of War: Ascension (PS3)

Developed by Sony Santa Monica

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“Before he was a God, He was a Man…”

The ultimate bad-ass videogame character Kratos is back in God of War: Ascension to redefine the entire Hack N' Slash Action game genre!

Praise the Lord for PlayStation 3 which does deliver the most wonderful exclusive games and GOW:A is a stunning prequel to the popular God of War video game series.

This is the seventh God of War game and it brings serious vengeance in the form of muscle bound Kratos who is understandably miffed at the death of his wife and child… Seems he was tricked by Ares into murdering the only people he ever loved… Now you get to wreak bloodshed on an unprecedented level and none will stand before you – not even other PS3 players. Yes tGod of War: Ascension brings eight-player online multiplayer to the series and it’s absolutely wonderful!!

Ascension packs plenty of new gameplay mechanics to the single-player campaign including a refined ‘prompt-free’ button input system which makes the ‘minigame’ sections a whole lot better.

"Big guy in the back wants a word with you..."

I was a little dubious about the multiplayer section (the single player is every bit as slick and satisfying as God of War III – which was epic itself - totally epic). COD style building up your character through XP, trying and upgrading different weapons, armour, magical powers is freakin awesome and totally addictive!!

You get to align yourself to Zeus, Ares, Poseidon, or Hades and earn their favour to unlock new customization options for your multiplayer gladiator. It is the very definition of just want to get one more level / weapon / upgrade / magical item etc…

Packing delicious combat mechanics including a new ‘rage bar’, nicely balanced weapon selection – grapple is superbly refined too

Graphics are jaw dropping as is the accepted norm for this series and it really shows that the PS3 is still king of the current generation! The soundtrack is probably the best GOW game yet and for the dedicated single player fans you can replay the plot with a new game ‘plus’ option.

"Mmmmm - tempting"

If you’ve ever enjoyed a videogame – especially if you like Call of Duty online play (just with big-ass swords rather than guns) – this is a must buy… Kratos deserves your worship.

Oh and by investing in this – you get early access to the amazing look ‘The Last of Us’ thrown in for free!?

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

ööööö – stunning and impressive, a superb package on every level

5 – This is a god you need in your videogame life!!

I. AM. KRATOS... well, sort of...

Kick Ass 2: Trailer

2013-03-13T17:12:00.003Z

KICK ASS 2 - new UK trailer...

Matt Adcock is excited!?

Chloe Moretz... thinking how cool it will be to be Hit Girl again...

Darkmatters Caution - this US trailer below is very bad ass and has naughty words in it...

Still Kick Ass 2 might be the best film of 2013 though!?

"alternative Hit Girl?"

Darkmatters: God of War Ascension vs Carl Froch

2013-03-13T10:54:00.001Z

IBF SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT BOXING CHAMPION CARL FROCH TRAINS AS PLAYSTATION’S GOD OF WAR AHEAD OF TITLE SHOWDOWN WITH MIKKEL KESSLER

GOD OF WAR: ASCENSION™ is OUT FRIDAY 15TH MARCH, EXCLUSIVELY FOR PLAYSTATION®3

Sony Computer Entertainment UK (SCE UK) casts Super Middleweight IBF world champion boxer Carl Froch, as the iconic lead character Kratos to launch God of War: Ascension™, the newest instalment of the multi-million selling God of War® franchise, exclusively for PlayStation®3 (PS3®).

"FROCH ME!"

In the build-up to the ‘Warriors’ Call’ sell-out super middleweight unification world title fight, Froch vs Kessler live on Sky Box Office (May 25th), PlayStation fan Carl Froch trains as a God of War, drawing inspiration from Kratos’ payback story in his own battle for revenge. Mikkel Kessler is the Danish boxer who inflicted the first defeat of Froch’s career in a tightly fought boxing classic.

As momentum gathers pace ahead of the boxing showdown and the launch of God of War: Ascension™, Carl Froch offers insight into the similarities between a modern day fighting icon and the mythical lead character of God of War, Kratos. Carl Froch demonstrates his pre-fight training regime and what it takes to become a God of War, discussing his own ascension from the very same venue where he rose through the ranks and trained as a junior, Phoenix ABC Gym, Nottingham.

“I’m a big PlayStation fan, so the opportunity to be made up as Kratos ahead of my rematch with Kessler was too good to pass up,” said Carl Froch. “We’re both warriors in our own right, although on May 25th, I’ll show everyone I am the real God of War.”

Developed by Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios’ (SCE WWS) Santa Monica Studio, God of War: Ascension™ is a prequel that will show Kratos' emotional path of redemption whilst detailing the rise of his rage to break free from Ares' bond. Epic cinematic storytelling, visceral battles, and blockbuster moments will all be present. Various enhancements to the best-selling gameplay will include a revamped combat system and a brand new online multiplayer mode that combines the brutal gameplay and large-scale battles that God of War is known for, to create a competitive experience like never before.

"Darkmatters Review On Friday"

“The bar is set quite high for this franchise as each God of War title succeeds in being better than the last,” said Todd Papy, Game Director, God of War: Ascension. “But, unlike previous releases, we’re providing a deeper look into Kratos’ tormented past and psyche that fans have not seen before. Combined with refined gameplay, jaw-dropping visuals, and a fresh twist on competitive gaming with our new online multiplayer mode, I guarantee that God of War: Ascension will give fans what they have been eagerly waiting for, and much more.”

For the first time ever in a God of War game, players can compete in online or offline multiplayer battles that combine the fierce combat and scale of the franchise with a unique gameplay experience. Built off of the heart and soul of the single-player campaign, this brand new option can include up to eight players and offers a variety of different multiplayer modes along with customisable avatar warriors, armour and weapon types.

Set in the realm of Greek mythology, God of War: Ascension is an epic adventure that allows players to take on the climatic role of the ex-Spartan warrior, Kratos, as he finds a way to break the blood oath that binds him to the god, Ares. Six months after being tricked into killing his wife and child, a younger Kratos is sentenced to a life of madness with the Furies, caged in a Titan sized prison for the living damned. Fighting insanity, his will is tested to the limit as he seeks to break his bond and gain the clarity to seek revenge on Ares for his part in the death of his family. Armed with double-chained blades, Kratos must take on mythology’s darkest creatures while solving intricate puzzles throughout his merciless quest for redemption.

"Previous God of War Cosplay looks bit tame compared to Froch"

Josh Walker, UK product manager for God of War: Ascension added, “Kratos is a hero, like Carl Froch who rises again and answers the warrior’s call. We couldn’t think of a better fighter to affiliate with our epic action-adventure game.”

God of War: Ascension offers an epic single-player story mode, as well as a deep, innovative multi-player experience. Further information about the game can be found at www.GodofWar.com. For media assets, please visit www.scee-press.com.

About Sony Computer Entertainment Europe:

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), based in London, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PlayStation®2 (PS2®) computer entertainment system, PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) handheld entertainment system, PlayStation®3 (PS3®) computer entertainment system, PlayStation®Vita (PS Vita) portable entertainment system, and PlayStation®Network software and hardware in 109 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. SCEE has revolutionised home entertainment since they launched PlayStation® in 1994. PS2® further enhances the PlayStation® legacy as the core of home networked entertainment. PSP® is a handheld entertainment system that allows users to enjoy 3D games with high-quality full-motion video and high-fidelity stereo audio. PS3® is an advanced computer system, incorporating the powerful Cell Broadband Engine and RSX processors. PS Vita is an ultimate portable entertainment system that offers a revolutionary combination of rich gaming and social connectivity within a real world context. SCEE also delivers the PlayStation® experience to open operating systems through PlayStation®Mobile, a cross device platform. SCEE also develops, publishes, markets and distributes entertainment software for these formats, and manages the third party licensing programs for the formats in these territories.

Darkmatters Review: Oz The Great and Powerful

2013-03-11T00:35:00.001Z

Oz The Great and Powerful (PG)

Dir. Sam Rami

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

“I don't want to be a good man... I want to be a great one.”

Ever wondered just how the Wizard of Oz got to Oz and became their wizard?

What about how and why the Wicked Witch of the West turned bad (or green for that matter)?

Sheesh, obviously you’ve not seen Wicked the musical, that’s ok, perhaps you’re just not into musical theatre and show tunes… but fear not – Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures have thought about this and made Oz The Great and Powerful to be the definitive prequel to The Wizard of Oz.

Director Sam ‘Spiderman’ Rami goes all out to deliver a visually lavish telling of how young Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is whisked from Kansas to the Land of Oz via first class tornado express.

"living dolls and talking / flying monkeys"

No sooner has Diggs crash landed in Oz – wonderfully depicted by the film changing form black and white to full eye-popping colour - when he meets the sexy Theodora (Mila Kunis), who falls for him and lets him know that he arrival has been foretold.

The other two witches of Oz are Evanora (Rachel Weisz) who might be hiding her true nature and Glinda (Michelle Williams), neither or which are convinced that Diggs is the great wizard everyone's been expecting.

In order to ascend to be king of Oz, Diggs must slay the wicked witch and free the land from her evil but he’s a reluctant hero. Is he up to this quest?

The film works well given the limitations of being a prequel where we know the main characters will survive to meet Dorothy and the rest. This yellow brick road is a super-highway of stunning CGI and nicely added new characters such as a charming China Girl voiced by Joey King (soon to be seen in White House Down).

"which witch is which?"

Rami brings some good jump moments, enough implied threat and sufficient soul searching in the hero to win the audience over. I saw this my two sons, my wife and my elderly mother – all of whom enjoyed it which shows that Disney still know how to create films ‘for all the family’!?

Overall Oz The Great and Powerful is actually a pretty ‘wizard’ effort, and its blessed with some even prettier witches… If you’re a Wizard of Oz fan, this is essential viewing and if you’re not a fan (yet) this is a great intro.

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öööö - click those heels and make a wish!

4 – Disney do the Oz mythos proud

Awesomeness ööö – razzle dazzle ahoy

Laughs ööö – some funny bits

Horror öö – not too grim, might unsettle youngsters in places

Babes ööö – Kunis, Weisz and Williams are all cute

Spiritual Enlightenment ööö - find your inner courage to do what's right

Darkmatters Review: Parker

2013-03-09T11:39:00.004Z

Parker (15)

Dir. Taylor Hackford

Reviewed by Matt Adcock

"I don't steal from anyone who can't afford it, and I don't hurt anyone who doesn't deserve it."

In the aftermath of daring funfare heist that sees a crew making off with over $1 million, Parker (Jason Statham) who led the raid but isn't part of the gang is asked to front his share of the loot to buy in to another bigger job. He's not up for it do get shot and left for dead...

Big mistake by the criminals - because Parker doesn't like being shot and left for dead!

From then on we have a fairly traditional crime drama revenger which see Parker track the gang to their next heist target in Palm Beach - so he pretends to be a big shot Texan looking to buy a home there and crosses his path with sassy / annoybing Real Estate woman Leslie Rogers (Jennifer Lopez).

"Howdy partner"

Parker as a movie takes a bullet to the head as soon as J-Lo stumbles on the scene, she's an unnecessary addition which brings nothing to the party except her curves - which director Hackford (the 'ford' is silent') at least makes her get out in a fully gratuitous scene where Statham forces her to stip down to her undies and who him her ass 'to prove she's not wearing a wire' absolutely ahem...

Somewhere in Parker there is a half decent crime movie and if there was a directors cut that removed all of J-Lo's scenes it would certainly be a whole lot better. Statham is the new Bruce Willis and is watchable as always, the violence is crunching and there are a couple of exciting showdowns (a great and brutal knife fight in the hotel being the pick of the bunch) but overall this is limp B-movie no-brain easy viewing.

"J-Lo hits a new low"

What is perhaps saddest about Parker is that it was made 'In memory of Donald E. Westlake' who wrote the original character in several books and died in 2008. Westlake wouldn't let filmmakers use Parker's name in film he didn't think lived up to his novels - so we've had John Boorman's Point Blank, where Lee Marvin as "Walker" - John Flynn's The Outfit, with Robert Duvall as "Macklin" - and even Brian Helgeland's Payback, which had Gibson as "Porker" - sorry "Porter"!? That sound you can hear? That's Westlake spinning in his grave at Parker finally being used in what has to be weakest effort based his books to date...

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öö - alas poor Parker, he deserved better

2 – Statham is always good but he can't save this mess

Awesomeness ööö – some nice scenes but not enough

Laughs öö – couple of LOLs

Horror ööö – some serious violence which feels at odds to rest of plot

Babes öö – sorry J-Lo your time has passed but Emma Booth looks good - as below

Spiritual Enlightenment ö - honour your intentions?